Passengers jetting off on their summer holidays could miss their flight after an electrical fire caused serious delays on trains to Gatwick Airport.

The fire, which broke out earlier on Monday morning outside Gatwick Airport has damaged the third rail.

The fire melted electrical cables and the conductor rail which provides power to trains.

A Twitter user posted a video of a blaze on the tracks just outside the transport hub's railway station.

A statement on Network Rail's website said: "A fault with the electric third rail at Gatwick Airport is causing delays of up to 35 minutes to journeys to and from the station. This is expected to continue until the end of service.

Fire and smoke seen at Gatwick Airport's train station (Image: Twitter/@RICHIPRODUCTION)

Thameslink, Southern and Gatwick Express passengers may use each others services via reasonable routes. Thameslink customers may also use London Underground services."

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said: “Our passengers on Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express were all disrupted this morning and will continue to be for the rest of the day with delays of up to 35 minutes.

"Anyone who is held up by 30 minutes or more should claim compensation at any one of our websites or ask station staff for a form.”